Sorry for the blunt nature of that statement. Usually try to spice it up with a colorful analogy or something.
But there's no way around it. The Cowboys are a really good football team. Are they great? We won't know that until January, and if they had it their way, we'll actually find out in February.
But in the first stages of August, when every team is undefeated, it's still pretty safe to say the Cowboys are good, and they're going to be good all year.
How do we know? Lots of reasons, actually. Great players, for one. Great coaches always help. And now they've got some added hunger having been the best team in the conference last year only to flame out in the playoffs.
But another example of this team's greatness is its depth.
Every time a fan or a media member talks about a potential weakness on this team, it always begins with something like . . . "if this player goes down, then what?"
Sure, those are legitimate concerns. Like, if Tony Romo goes down or Terrell Owens gets hurt, sure the Cowboys will be struggling to replace those two.
But at least that's where the Cowboys' problems are. Look around the league, there are dozens of teams that have much bigger concerns than that.
Some teams don't know who will be taking snaps at quarterback. Others aren't sure of the running back rotation. Around the NFL, there are lots of question marks. But for the Cowboys, most of their dilemmas involve the "what-if" nature.
Believe me, that's a good sign.
So, let's dissect one of the major "what-if" questions. It seems rather consistent, but the biggest area of concern I keep hearing from the fans, whether on our Internet radio shows, from emails, or just in random practice chatter through the fences, is the depth at wide receiver.
You guys like Patrick Crayton, but are just not sure he can be the No. 2 guy. And the same with Sam Hurd. It doesn't seem like everyone is excited with him being the surefire third receiver.
Well, the truth is, neither one of those scenarios are accurate. Say what you want about the actual depth chart at wide receiver, but truth be told, the Cowboys' second receiver is not even a wide receiver.
Jason Witten.
Yes, the tight end. Sure, you guys haven't forgotten about him. I know everyone is excited about what the four-time Pro Bowler will do this year.
But I think people forget just what he provides for this offense. No, he's not fast like a wide receiver and he's not going to scare anyone deep. But that's not his role. Witten's job is to work the middle of the field and take the pressure off of Owens. And he does that with near-perfection.
"Jason Witten is a dominant receiver - what he's done in the past and certainly what he did last year," head coach Wade Phillips said. "If they double Terrell, he's one-on-one. And that's what happens."
Teams would kill to have a Jason Witten-type of player. And really, only a handful of teams can claim that they do.
This year, Witten is easily considered one of the top five tight ends in the game, and it's probably more accurate to put him in the top three.
Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez and Kellen Winslow Jr. Those three are all in the same category as Witten. Now, this piece isn't to proclaim Witten as the best in the NFL, but with the way this team is structured, I would bet the Cowboys wouldn't take another tight end in the league over Witten.
It's not just about catches and yards. How many of those tight ends, or any other starters, line up occasionally in the backfield and serve as lead blockers for the running game?
Not many. And that's what makes Witten the complete tight end that he strives to be.
"That's what it's all about," Witten said of his well-rounded game. "You almost get just as much of a thrill making a big block for Marion [Barber] as you do catching a touchdown pass. That's a dimension that I had to work on. But to be able to do that has certainly helped my game. And, it's something I'm proud of."
And he should be proud.
That's what I like about Jason Witten. He's probably the most down-to-earth player on this team. Not to say that all of the other guys are fake, but Witten is as real as it gets. He doesn't dance around certain questions, but yet still finds a way to say things in a non-offensive manner.
Like last year, when it was said that a certain preseason magazine picked him as the eighth-best tight end, Witten could've easily shrugged it off and said something to the fact of why he doesn't read the papers or magazines. That's what most of them say.
Witten just smiles, but gives a funny look and says, "Eight? Really? I don't know about that."
He just stores it away and uses it as motivation. Whatever happened, it worked last year. He wasn't the eighth-best tight end, unless that is talking about best all-time. And while it sounds a bit premature to discuss just where Witten stands among the all-time greats at his position, his numbers are starting to prove otherwise.
Once again, Witten discusses that topic in his best PC-form.
"Well, you want to be considered the best - we all do," Witten said. "I know that playing for the Cowboys, you get compared to Jay Novacek a lot and to me, that's an honor. Jay was one of the best. Even when it was third-and-six and the whole stadium knew he was getting the ball, he still made the play. And that's the type of player I want to be."
The good thing for Witten is that he's already there. He's already that type of player. But there's no reason to tell him that. Whether he already knows it or not, he's gong to continue to work just as hard.
But don't sweat the No. 2 receiver so much. Sure, it would've been nice to have Terry Glenn or another speed demon opposite of Owens. But, that's not the case. There really weren't many, if any, top-flight receivers in free agency. And obviously there was nothing worth jumping on in the draft, considering no receiver went in the first round.
This is what the Cowboys have. Crayton and Hurd will have to pick up the slack, but neither one of them is the true second receiver.
That belongs to Witten, who probably would be the first option on many other clubs. So, it's really not as bad as you guys think.
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Nick Eatman - 
